Illegal ivory

The haul is the latest indication that Malaysia has become an Asian transit hub for the illicit ivory trade. As a result, the country has stepped up inspections. International trade in elephant ivory was banned in 1989.

A Malaysia customs official, Azis Yacub, said inspectors in Port Klang found the elephant tusks, carved ivory and some rhino horn hidden in containers of handicrafts sent from the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. The shipment had been headed for Cambodia's beach resort of Sihanoukville.

“The cargo manifest said the container contained soapstone handicrafts and was loaded in Mombasa, Kenya,” Yacub said.

Officials said they had no precise figure yet as to the number of tusks but said the whole shipment weighed nearly two tons.

Smuggling continues despite ban

Malaysian authorities said the seizure followed a tip-off on Monday, but that no arrests were made.

Two weeks ago, Kenyan authorities in the capital Nairobi seized a container loaded with 87 elephant tusks disguised as soapstone carvings destined for Hong Kong.

In August, Hong Kong officials impounded nearly two tons of ivory worth 1.7 million US dollars in a shipment from Malaysia.

In May, government agents in Vietnam discovered some 600 kilograms of African elephant tusks disguised as rubber from Tanzania at Hai Phong harbor.

Ivory from African elephants is typically smuggled to Asia where it is carved into ornaments, while rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicines.

Author: Gregg Benzow (dpa, AFP, Reuters)
Editor: Sarah Berning